I don't mean for this to be a silly post, the lesson I learned from it has really hit deep into my heart and I am hoping to take this into my daily life and just flat out be a better person. It's just that whenever I hear a grocery store story, they are usually filled with either humiliation and/or humor. I have a grocery store story, but it isn't funny and although I could take a cynical approach, my heart instead has been opened to what I could learn from it.
I usually avoid the grocery store on Saturdays like the plague. It is not a pleasant place to be, and I usually prefer to stay away from large crowds (number one reason I am not a big fan of Disneyland). This past Saturday I needed a few items and had to go to the store just before noon, as did many other people.
As I hurried through the store, every where I looked, everyone else was rushing around like me. So, I slowed down a bit, I only needed a few items and I figured it would be better for me to calmly make my way from one item to the next. I had to manuever through some areas filled with stopped carts and I had to cross through the higher traffic areas to get to the next aisle for my list.
Every turn, every move every single thing that happened at the store that day brought me face to face with very agressive, rushed, and just flat out impatient and mean shoppers. I did not want to be one of them, so right then I put a smile on my face and kept moving calmly through the store. As I took to fulfilling some of the physical needs of my family, I decided I better keep my own spiritual needs in mind as well.
I made sure that I would keep a smile on my face. As I went to get some soup, there was a cart parked right in the way of the soup I needed and the "owner" of the cart was halfway down the aisle. I didn't get mad, I just gently slid it over a bit, took my soup and when the "owner" came over to her cart, obviously embarrassed for having left it someone's way I was able to reassure her it was absolutely no big deal at all. We smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries and I was on my way again.
I guess that I learned during this shopping trip that we need to learn to follow the example of our Savior and treat others the way He would in the same situation. And we need to do this in our everyday lives.
We are being met with little tests and challenges often, and usually we won't even think of it as being such. If we can learn to treat our fellow man with kindness and love, even when we are in a hurry and even when they are being unkind toward us and even when we don't feel like it, and on and on, then we are moving in the direction of our Savior. And that is where I want to be.
So, did I pass this test? Not really. I kept a smile on my face for everyone, and had a very kind and pleasant interaction with a fellow shopper. But I was still irritated and bothered by so many others. I don't think Jesus would have had those feelings. I have a long way to go, but I am so glad to at least see where improvement can be made. And I am so eager to do better and be a better person.
I just might even go to the grocery store this next Saturday and see how I am doing.
